Elkader boy dies during gun play

Authorities say no charges are likely to be filed in connection with the fatal shooting of an Elkader boy. Nine-year-old Joshua Heine-Maker and his half-brother were apparently handling a newly-purchased shot gun in their yard Saturday night when the gun accidentally discharged. The boy was killed instantly. Sources say Joshua’s half-brother was unloading the weapon when it went off. The dead boy’s father, David Maker, was home recovering from surgery and was sleeping at the time. Deputy Sheriff Steve Tromblee says if the gun had been locked, there wouldn’t have been an accident. Iowa law requires locks on guns in homes where kids under the age of 14 can get access to the fire arm, but it’s unclear if there’d be a violation of the law in this instance since the older boy who was handling the gun was 14. Tromblee says it appears the older boy was fascinated with the new gun but there’s no clear explanation as to why he was playing with it in the yard. Joshua was struck in the head with a single gunshot. Rick Varney, principal at Volga elementary school in Elkader where Joshue was a student, says the boy was energetic and popular. Joshua would have been a fourth grader this fall.